AN NHS hospital has admitted its water is currently contaminated with a killer bug.
The major Wiltshire hospital has now raced in experts after traces of the horror bacteria were found.
Great Western Hospital has confirmed its water is contaminated
GettyTraces of a deadly Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria have been found in the hospital’s water[/caption]
Results showed the deadly Pseudomonas aeruginosa was running through Great Western Hospital’s water.
It services an area with a population of about 1.3million.
The bug can cause infections, may prove deadly to Brits with weakened immune systems, and is considered one of the most life-threatening bacteria by the World Health Organisation.
Healthy people can also still suffer from skin irritations, rashes or ear infections – and it can be passed from person to person through skin contact.
The bug exists in moist areas like sinks and toilets, and there’s a heightened risk for people in intensive care or burn units.
The government website states: “It can cause a wide range of infections, particularly in those with a weakened immune system, for example cancer patients, newborns and people with severe burns, diabetes mellitus or cystic fibrosis.
“P. aeruginosa infections are sometimes associated with contact with contaminated water.
“In hospitals, the organism can contaminate devices that are left inside the body, such as respiratory equipment and catheters. P. aeruginosa is resistant to many commonly-used antibiotics.”
One resident told the Swindon Advertiser: “My partner who has spent quite a few weeks in the hospital has been identified as having an infection in their bladder.
“This is serious as they have underlying health problems.”
The affected hospital services Wiltshire, parts of Bath and North East Somerset, parts of Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire and Gloucestershire.
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust today admitted the contamination.
A spokesperson said: “Many water systems contain traces of pseudomonas – a bacteria commonly found in water – and earlier this year the Trust identified pseudomonas in some parts of the water system across the hospital.
“We introduced measures to reduce the bacteria rates, including strict infection control, enhanced cleaning approaches and the installation of filters on some taps, and this work has significantly reduced the level of Pseudomonas.
“The water system is working as usual and the water remains safe to drink and there is a very low risk of the spread of infection to patients or staff.
“The UK Health Security Agency conducted genetic testing of patient cases and there were no links between infection rates and pseudomonas levels in the hospital.”